Profiting from Goat Congress

From March 22 to 24, a Goat (and Lamb) Congress will be held at the Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark Airbase, Pampanga. This is organized by the private sector group Federation of Goats and Sheep Producers Association of the Philippines Inc. (F-GASPAPI). How can one profit from this?

First, we should review the current literature using search engines like Google.

My Sept. 16, 2011, Inquirer commentary, “Gold from Goats,” summarized what I found using this process.

This included an in-depth interview with Dr. Jonathan Nayga (0921-318-1621), Director of Cagayan Valley Small Ruminants Research Center (CVSRRC). It described how a P30,000 investment in goat artificial insemination can yield a monthly return of P57,000. (click www.inquirer.net, Business, Columnist, Ernesto Ordonez-Agriwatch)

With a potential P54-billion market, there is much money to be made from goats. Other than reviewing the current literature, contacting experts like Nayga and using the Internet access of DA’s Agricultural Training Institute (https://www.ati.da.gov.ph/), going to next week’s Congress will be very helpful.

Organization

To participate in this Congress, contact F-GASPAPI through its president Ben Rara (0927-970-1253; or e-mail [email protected].

From a strategic viewpoint, how does one maximize the benefit from this Congress?

Talking with Rara produced three insights.

First, this Congress should be part of a complete and realistic roadmap.

Rara is fully aware of the importance of roadmaps as key tools for effective short- and long-term plans.

He was president of two multinational firms in the Philippines (i.e. Sanofi and Pharmacia & Upjohn) and has set up his own goat and vermiculture farms in Bulacan and Bukidnon.

Second, goat extension work should be systematically carried out.

Rara cites the successful Cagayan province goat extension work done with Nayga’s help. This, however, has not been replicated in any other province. While F-GASPAPI is trying to do this replication, government support is necessary.

Third, the public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms that the DA currently has should be optimized.

The Agriculture Fishery Councils mandated by law should have government participation at the director level so that decisions, not just talk, can be made at their meetings.

There is also the Agriculture and Fisheries 2025 DA-Senate-Congress-Private Sector structure.

AF 2025 meetings continue every two months, but urgent recommendations from the private sector are not getting the hoped for quick action.

Conclusion

Next week’s Congress and other Congresses like it are critical in attaining our country’s agricultural development goals.

But they should be part of a larger strategic framework that includes a good roadmap, an effective extension program and improved use of PPP mechanisms.

The AFCs and AF 2025 should be energized with more responsive top DA management involvement if we are to take full advantage of Congresses like the one next week.

(The author is chairman of Agriwatch, former secretary for presidential flagship programs and projects, and former undersecretary for Agriculture, and Trade and Industry. For inquiries and suggestions, e-mail [email protected] or telefax (02) 8522112.)